1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an improved computer system and, in particular, to a method for implementing an effective dating logic within applications on a computer system. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for implementing an effective dating logic during runtime of applications executing in a computer system.
2. Background
Information systems are used for many different purposes. For example, an information system may be used to process payroll to generate paychecks for employees in an organization. Additionally, an information system also may be used by a human resources department to maintain benefits and other records about employees. For example, a human resources department may manage health insurance, wellness plans, and other programs and organizations using an employee information system. As yet another example, an information system may be used to determine when to hire new employees, assign employees to projects, perform reviews for employees, and other suitable operations for the organization. As another example, a research department in the organization may use an information system to store and analyze information to research new products, perform reviews of employees, hire new employees, analyze products, or for other suitable operations.
Currently used information systems include databases. These databases store information about the organization. For example, these databases store information about employees, products, research, product analysis, business plans, and other information about the organization.
Information in databases can be accessed through a graphical user interface of a computer system. The information systems may be used in performing operations for an organization. The operations may include hiring operations and project assignments.
Information stored in databases can change over time. In order to maintain an accurate history of the information in a database, many applications have begun to institute effective dating logic for which a historical record is beneficial. Effective dating of information allows the application to store different values that are in effect for a particular data element over different time periods or date ranges. The values of second dated data element can change over time. When a data element has a particular value, that value is “in effect” for the data element. Effective dating refers to the date range over which a particular value is “in effect” for the data element. Effective dating therefore provides a record of changes to the value for a particular data element.
Through effective dating, an organization can then see how the data changes over time, and utilize these changes to perform operations for the organization. For example, a human resources Department within an operation he went to track various events within the course of employees career. For example, information that provides a historical record for such information as hiring date, transfers, promotions, salary history, dependencies give the organization a better overall view of the employee when utilizing information stored in the database to perform operations for the organization.
Developing and designing a method for effective dating information is important for the efficient performance of operations in an information system. Ideally, the effective dating system enhances the performance of operations for the organization by efficiently and easily presenting a historical record of the information which the organization can rely upon in performing operations.
However, the time and resources needed to provide effective dating within a given application may be greater than desired. Many legacy applications lack the original support for effective dating of data fields in their original object models. The object model dictates how to represent objects in storage. The best object model will maximize efficiency of frequent language operations while minimizing storage overhead. However, the design of current effective dating systems often results in a bloated object model, requiring significant computational resources and programming time. Therefore, implementing an effective dating system within application may require more time and resources than desired.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues. For example, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that overcome a technical problem of implementing an effective dating logic within applications.